CX500 GL500 650 Global

I was just over at Choppercharles answering some questions and catching up and down she goes again. We could use a few more members. I think I am in the clear for problems right now but I like to know what's happening with other people/bikes.

Larry how's the paint job going?

_________________
1979 Honda Cx500 Custom Supertanker

I agree, we need more members, but that will come in time. I have been working on redoing my posts and posting them here after editing them for this forum. Its taking a bit of time to edit them from the conversations that were in them.

I have not started yet on the paint job. I have to wait till payday because I have been off for 3 weeks. I didn't have any high build primer left. And that stuff is very expensive! My son is flip flopping again on his color choice, so Its up in the air again.

I'm glad to see you here, your a major asset as well. You have always been a contributing factor in every forum post. Thank you!

BTW: where did a photographer like you come up with a seamstress name like Blindstitch?
Larry

_________________
"If I need to have someone do something for me, why shouldn't I learn to do it myself"

I guess you could say it has a lot of different things in it. One and two are music related. I am a big Korn and Orgy fan. One of my favorite Korn songs is Blind and one of my favorite Orgy songs is Stitches.
Three would have to be that I am from a family where you have to be self sufficient. My two grandfathers were military men and they said that you had to be a strong man to sew. Thats why it's one of the first things they teach you.

I tend to prefer sewing by hand and sometimes with pliers now because in the last year I broke 3 sewing machines. Two brothers and a singer. They didn't agree with me. The store took the two brothers back and as for the singer I gave it to my mom and she sent it in for repair since it was under warranty and she can keep it when she's done.

As for being a photographer. I wasn't always one and I am not sure that it's going to pay my bills for the next five years like it has for the last but I went to college for Automotive Collision and got that degree because I wanted to be a painter/ customizer. The job market in my area didn't really support that and the guys I went to school with were moving to bigger cities to get jobs. Decided that I was smart enough to try art. I noticed there was a lot of commotion in computer design and vinyl wraps. While getting my graphic design degree my friend was working at the college newspaper. She offered me a job because I had a camera and I needed a job. She quit and I took her job as photo editor. Photographed college sports and life for 3 years and graduated. My advisor told me if I didn't get on the ball with resumes i wasn't going to get a job. I told him I could probably get a job without even applying. I went for a week vacation in canada and came back with two missed call on my phone. One from the local news paper and another from the college's athletic director.
I took the newspaper job. and worked for an ass. If you ever saw spiderman the guy that played editor in chief was my boss to a T.

Now I am waiting for High School sports season to start so I can start shooting for Visual Image Photography and I am almost thinking of going back to school to be a motorcycle mechanic.

I have about 20 friends that graduated this summer top of their class and only about 4 have jobs in their field. Artists, business management, accountants, writers, industrial maintenance. Vocational degrees to Masters and the job market sucks.

Maybe that answers something.

_________________
1979 Honda Cx500 Custom Supertanker

It takes time for people to join forums and as I've said to Larry I don't want to,"Poach" from the other forum.It will happen and if nothing else it's a good place to put info and jobs you have done on the bikes

As for jobs the UK is no better and I'm not in a good situation at my age as there is a lot of Agesim in my country.I would like to re-train but there's no government help here and I don't have th cash so i have to take whatever work I can get.

_________________
My Music
http://www.reverbnation.com/pauldouglas

That's pretty cool how you came up with the name, and it fits what you do! My Mom taught me to sew also. I was lucky enough to buy an industrial sewing machine for only $130.00. I had to do some work on it, but it works really good now. I love doing the upholstery jobs myself for what ever project I'm doing. It's pretty rewarding to sit back and see what was created out of nothing when its done. The seat on my 78 was the first bike seat I had ever done. Much harder than doing a couch or something big. So many small pieces to fit together. I sewed up some throw pillows for my now X in laws for Christmas one year, and they couldn't believe a man could do that!

I've seen your work with the camera on your web site. Your pretty good. You have some great shots in there. All of my nice pictures are on film. I have a Cannon EOS Elan, and don't have a way to put those pictures on the PC. Wish I did though. I have taken a class on photograph, and really enjoyed it. But I need to get back into it some day when I can afford a digital body to go with all my Cannon lenses and filters. I hear that they do make one that will do that. It sure would beat this cheap 2.1 pixel piece of cr** I'm using now. I hate it. Now adjustment choices.
It's funny that you also do body work. I was a foreman for a very successful body and frame shop before I started working in the prison system. Went to the prison for the benefits because we were expecting our first baby and wanted the medical coverage. I never thought I would be sitting here 27 years saying I was still working there. I guess I'm lucky in the fact that in my job, there will NEVER be a shortage of work!

I know what you mean about missing out on jobs though! A friend of mine asked me years ago if I wanted to go to LA with him and help make models for a guy that was producing a movie. I was into cars and girls at the time and told him "no way" That was the stupidest thing I have ever done, because the guy was George Lucas, and he was doing the first star wars movie. Yep, kicking my own but to this day still.

With the economy and gas prices the way it is, motorcycle mechanic might be a good choice. Lots of people are buying bikes now days for the MPG, and as you already know, most don't know squat about them. And with all your other skills, you never know what opportunities might come from it in the future. The more you know, the more your worth! You just have to be there at the right time to take an opportunity when it's knocking on the door.

_________________
"If I need to have someone do something for me, why shouldn't I learn to do it myself"

Isn't life funny that way. Some days you kick yourself and others your on the top of the world. I have a part time job at UPS it's hard. I load a truck for 4 to 6 hours and am expected to keep up a pace over 300 boxes per hour and not put any in the wrong truck. It's not the hardest job I have ever worked but it is the only one I have done with any benefits at all. And it's not out of pocket. So in a month the medical kicks in and then eye and dental in 4 months. The downpoint is that hardly anyone is fulltime so I know no matter how far i go up the ladder if I don't find a desk job there I will never get fulltime.
You wouldn't believe how hard this job market is getting. I applied at hardware and home improvement places like lowes, home depot and menards. And every one wants to interview you three times and tell you that they will call in a week. My resume is flawless for these jobs and I couldn't even get one. I went back to lowes just to shop about a week after I was interviewed for 3 hours straight and couldn't even get service. I waiting in the paint section for over 30 minutes having them page for help every 5 mins. 35 minutes past and a guy came into the area to twiddle his thumbs. I don't shop there anymore.

I understand the camera woes too. I have been trying to fight off buying a new camera because they keep getting better with every new model. Right now I am using a Nikon D200 and it's great but I do a lot of high Iso shooting and I keep reading and reviewing photos of the D300. It makes 1600 iso look like 800 iso on my camera. And it has a few newer features.

My girlfriend gets all my old cameras and she wants the one I have. She does a lot of Macro photos and could use 10 megapixels. I bought her a bunch of manual equipment for bug pictures. I am not a Cannon fan but if you need a camera they have them. I was raised on Nikon and I think the camera crowd is switching back over and equaling out. Don't get me wrong they are great cameras. I just don't like the button configurations and the way they feel. If you look at the pictures digital has came a long way in 10 years and I think it has finally matched film. Not all types of film but 90% and they're easy to work with.

_________________
1979 Honda Cx500 Custom Supertanker

I'll get a digital some day, but for now, it will have to wait. I got the Cannon from the insurance company after all my stuff was stolen years ago along with my car. I'm by no means at your level of work, but I enjoy it.
Your job sounds frustrating to say the least. I couldn't do all that lifting all day anymore. To old, and had my back screwed up in a major prison riot years ago.
Working in the private industry has always been hard. So many cocky people out there that only want to take advantage of the little guy. But then again, that's how they got to the top, stomping on people!
Hang in there, you'll make it to the top too. Good things come to guys like you.

_________________
"If I need to have someone do something for me, why shouldn't I learn to do it myself"

Really sucks that someone stole your stuff and car. I lost my first good film camera and some accessories that I lent to my girlfriends friend because she didn't have a camera for her black and white class. They took my camera and her ipod and some other stuff and the insurance company wouldn't give anything. So I lost $600 worth of equipment and the girl didn't pay me anything for it which in a way is fine because I wasn't going to use it and may have never used it again but it sucks to have people out there breaking into others stuff. I have most of my equipment insured now so in a way I almost wish someone stole the camera that I would like to replace but I consider myself lucky. The insurance also covers accidental damage but I don't think I could bare to drop it.

I am trying to find another basic job just to get out of the hard work at UPS. I don't see to many guys over 35 at work and I could imagine that it's because it is to much to do for 5 days a week for the rest of your life.

Best we can do is be the finest little guys that we can be. Being courteous and helpful can go a long way.

_________________
1979 Honda Cx500 Custom Supertanker